Tale Twisters

Guest post by JESSICA ASPEN

I first met Lyndi Alexander in 2010, when she was working on the manuscript that would become WINDMILLS and I was re-writing THE DARK HUNTSMAN for the third time. That was when I realized how much we had in common, number one being our great love of fantasy and number two our great love of books and writing. Or maybe those things are out of order. Maybe it’s writing, then books, then fantasy. I’m not sure it matters, what’s important is that we hit it off.

Oh, and we both wrote about elves.

Yes, elves.

Lyndi caught my attention with her glass slipper that spilled out a cache of elves at the feet of her heroine and onto a city street. What a terrific twist on a classic fairy tale. I was hooked. I bought her book out of the back of her car that weekend and I’ve been very glad that I did. You wouldn’t think there could be so many interpretations of elves, but the truth is that there are as many different ways one can write about elves as there are writers. And that’s saying a lot.

And that brings me to something else we have in common, a love of twisting the classic fairy tale elements. THE DARK HUNTSMAN is a modern fantasy twist of Snow White, but there are only hints and glimpses of the traditional story that lies beneath. I like to layer in tiny elements like apples, witches, and evil queens. And then twist the tale by making the huntsman the hero instead of the prince. Lyndi strays even farther from the standard fairy tale path, but if you look deep you can find those elements in the Clan Elves of the Bitterroot. A hidden princess, an unlikely prince, the glass slipper.

Twisted fairy tales are hot right now, we see them on the big screen and on the TV screen. I’ve loved them since I first discovered a book of short fairy tale twists including one dark tale by CJ Cherryh that I wish I still owned. Darn those constant moves of my youth. I fell in love with the idea of taking a classic story that has all the right elements: romance, magic, girl in trouble, handsome guy, and something ugly, and making it my own. I got to change the things I didn’t like about the story and keep the things I loved.

Snow White has always seemed a little passive to me. I get to re-write the whole story and make her kick-ass. The prince was this dude who came in at the ending, insisted on disturbing the dwarves’ mourning, and kissed the dead girl. How weird is that? Let’s just get rid of him, because the real hero is the working man who takes the risk of his own beheading and doesn’t kill Snow White in the first place. The huntsman. That’s a man I want to kiss.

What fairy tale elements to you love to see in stores? What pieces are intrinsic to the tales? Does Cinderella have to have two step-sisters, or can they be step-brothers, or uncles, or maybe several step-mothers? Does Rapunzel have to have long hair? What if the big bad wolf wasn’t the bad guy?

Do authors have to stay on the beaten path or can they lure you deeper into the tale and encourage you to get lost in the brambles on the side paths?

Are you willing to be lost in the woods?

The Dark Huntsman, A Fantasy Romance of the Black Court

An evil queen, a dangerous man, and a witch, tangled together in a tale of Snow White…

Desperate to save the last of her family from the murderous Faery Queen, Trina Mac Elvy weaves a spell of entrapment. But instead of a common soldier, the queen has released the Dark Huntsman, a full blooded fae with lethal powers.

Caged for treason, Logan Ni Brennan, is ready to do anything to win free of the manipulative queen, even if it includes running a last errand for her…murdering a witch. The sight of Trina, ready to fight despite the odds, gives him another option: use the witch as a chess piece, put the queen’s son on the throne, and bring down the queen forever.

As the queen slides into insanity and her closest advisor makes plans to succeed to the throne, Logan secrets Trina away in the enchanted forest and makes a decisive move in his dangerous game of manipulation. But the gaming tables of fate turn on him, and when Trina’s life is threatened he discovers he risks more than his freedom…he risks his heart.

Dare to enter Jessica Aspen’s world of steamy, fantasy romance in her new twisted fairy tale trilogy: Tales of the Black Court…

Buy now on Amazon:http://amzn.com/B00FN2P7A8

Add to Goodreads Shelf: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18481503-the-dark-huntsman

Author Bio:

Jessica Aspen always wanted to be spirited away to a world inhabited by elves, were-wolves and sexy men who walk on the dark side of the knife. Luckily, she’s able to explore her fantasy side and delve into new worlds by writing paranormal romance. She loves indulging in dark chocolate, reading eclectic novels, and dreaming of ocean vacations, but instead spends most of her time, writing, walking the dog, and hiking in the Colorado Rockies.  To sign up for Jessica Aspen’s new release email please go to: http://eepurl.com/zs4Sj

Author web links: (web, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads, etc)

Website: http://jessicaaspen.com

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5759763.Jessica_Aspen

https://twitter.com/JessicaAspen

https://www.facebook.com/JessicaAspenAuthor

http://pinterest.com/jessicaaspen/

Jessica Aspen’s non-spammy, new release email please go to: http://eepurl.com/zs4Sj

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Catherine E. McLean, author of Karma and Mayhem, a paranormal-fantasy-romance e-novel that was just released by Soul Mate Publishing (www.soulmatepublishing.com). I live on a farm in rural Western Pennsylvania with my husband. Our only child, a daughter, is grown and lives out of state. She and my husband are my first readers, and they also happen to be avid readers.

What’s your education, and is it relevant to your writing?

I wrote my first short story in third grade, but writing was never more than something I did as a hobby. Yet, writing played a role in the jobs I held, first as a secretary, then as a freelance journalist. All of those on-the-job skills made it easy to transition to becoming an author who sells articles and short stories.
When I first began writing novels, I was told that “writers are self-taught,” and if I truly wanted to became a “selling” storyteller and not just a writer who wrote, I needed to learn the devices and techniques of fiction and storytelling. After studying (not just reading) a few hundred how-to books, I developed a knack for spotting and explaining how the various aspects of fiction worked, the choices available in usage, and the pros and cons. After a discussion at one of my Pennwriters’ meetings (my local writer’s group), I was asked to give a series of mini-workshops on various techniques. The next thing I knew, I was giving in-person workshops, college enrichment program writing workshops, and then conference workshops. In 2009, I gave my first online workshop and have done one or two every year since.
Do I have a degree? No. Do I want one? No. What I quest for is the knowledge because I truly believe craft enhances talent. What I’ve learned, and continue to learn, means I have far more choices in writing and storytelling.

Tell us a little about your novel Karma and Mayhem. Is it your first?

Karma and Mayhem is not my first novel, but it is my first published novel. I’m a producing writer who can do, from start to finish, two 100,000 word novels a year.
Okay, so I seem to have a revolving door to the basement of my mind where my muse plays. That “kid” constantly gives me story sparkers or dumps of the text for short story and novel openings. In other words, I’m always working on something.
For the curious, the story sparker for Karma and Mayhem came in May of 2005 and was a line of a poem about what happened in the Valley of Rathe, which Janay, an ex-peacekeeper and the story’s heroine, survived. (She quotes the poem in Karma and Mayhem.) I didn’t actually begin working on the story until that winter.
I will also confess that the hero, Tienan, had me baffled when I first got the story dump because his name didn’t feel right to me. On a very simplistic level, it’s the conscious mind that must translate what the storytelling subconscious sends up. Unfortunately, the two don’t actually talk to each other in the same way, so its understandable that messages get garbled now and then.
Anyway, the first name came out as Aydin, and my instinct revolted at that and the next five names. None felt or sounded right, nor did the name meanings fit the character I knew this man, this hero, to be. Then one morning a few weeks later, I woke and the very first thought that popped into my mind was Tienan. My second thought was: What kind of name is Tienan? I looked it up in my baby name books and found Tienan was a real name and it meant “crowned.” In that instant, I knew–and felt deep down–that Tienan was the correct name, the one my subconscious had been trying to get my conscious mind to divulge.

What is your favorite genre to write? To read?

I lean toward two genres. The first is romance (fantasy, contemporary, historical, regency, futuristic, time-travel, etc.–not necessarily in that order). The second is good, old-fashioned science fiction known as Space Opera (which has, sadly, fallen out of vogue).
I’m also an eclectic reader. If a story interests me, I’ll read it. Some of my favorite authors are: Jane Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick, Justine Davis, Catherine Asaro, Isaac Asimov, Margaret Moore, David Webber, John Ringo, Laura Kinsale, Louis L’Amour, Arthur C. Clarke, Elizabeth Moon, Larry Niven, Heinlein, J. K. Rowling, and Ann Bishop.

Is there any special music you like to listen to while writing? Does it inspire you?

I actually need peace and quite to write so I can hear the vocal inflections and voices of the characters as their story plays out like a movie in my mind. Perhaps this way of drafting a story evolved from my many years of taking dictation as a secretary. However, it does require concentration. So, no music, no distractions.
Unfortunately, I can’t convince the house cat to let herself out or to fill her feed dish.

What’s your favorite thing about Karma and Mayhem? Any special memories you have in the creation of it?

The stand-out element was with the initial idea and figuring out how a man could have two souls and, in particular, how a soul could have a soul.
The second stand-out moment came after the book was contracted. I knew I needed some “raffle” item related to the story to give when doing workshops and for the book launch party. I couldn’t give away a katana (too expensive, not to mention lethal) nor could I give away a replica of a twice blessed dirk because they didn’t exist.
A few weeks ago, on the way home from grocery shopping, it occurred to me that I could give away the Choke-berry Shalamiz, the “blood of ages,” Tienan used to “baptize” Janay (in chapter ten). Trouble was, shalamiz wasn’t a real drink, and just how did one concoct something like it?
I called a chef I know. On October 1, I had a recipe for the Choke-berry Shalamiz thick enough to coat a spoon or glass (like it did in the book). As a bonus, a little change to the amount of ingredients and leaving out the thickening agent resulted in a tart-sweet, fizzy, and very bloody looking beverage. Both are non-alcoholic.
I gave away the dual recipe as the grand prize at my October 10, online book launch party for Karma and Mayhem. Thus only three people have that recipe—the chef and I (who created it) and one lucky winner.

What are you writing now or what’s next for you? Will you be making personal appearances where our readers can find you?

Right now I’m polishing Jewels of the Sky, a science-fiction adventure with a female protagonist, that ties in with the December, 2012, Mayan “End of Days.” This novel is contracted as a print-on-demand book due out soon. I’ve also got a project bible half done for a sequel to Karma and Mayhem (featuring Rowen, Tienan’s brother).
I’m also now scheduling workshops, as well as doing guest blog appearances and interviews. Currently I have an in-person workshop at my local library, Oct.24, on “Characters, Clues, and Creativity.” This is for readers and writers. I’ll be doing a repeat session, again at the library, on November 3.
On October 30, I’ll be blogging at my regular spot at Soul Mate Publishing’s author’s blog (my blog there is “Catherine’s Cup of Tea”). I’ll also be taking part in SMP’s November 14 Blog-a-Thon.
And on November 17, I’ll be at the Grove City library, doing “Questing for a Story.”
A schedule of my appearances, blogging, interviews, and workshops can be found at either www.CatherineEmclean.com (for readers) or www.WritersCheatSheets.com (for writers).

ABOUT KARMA AND MAYHEM:

While investigating a series of murders, warlock Tienan De’Argossi encounters Janay–a lovely, dirk-wielding, down-on-her-luck ex-peacekeeper who talks to archangels.  When she rescues his brother from demons, Tienan figures he owes her.  So, other than she’s plainspoken and gutsy, what’s the harm in having her as a house guest? 

Links for Catherine are:

www.CatherineEmclean.com (for readers)
www.WritersCheatSheets.com (for writers)
http://www.karmaandmayhem.blogspot.com
Linked-In: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/catherine-e-mclean/7/70b/372
Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002397950738
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/CatherineMcLea7

by guest author Ash Krafton

I’ve always had a thing for museums. When I was a kid, my mother would take my siblings and me to the Everhart Museum in Scranton, PA. It’s a natural history museum located near Nay Aug Park, once a thriving zoo and mini-amusement park. Those trips to the park and museum are among my strongest childhood memories, when I was too young to pronounce “museum” properly. (I called it a “mu-sam” and, trust me, it wasn’t because I had a region accent. I was just a goofy kid.)
I never outgrew my fondness for museums. Overtime, I developed a distinct preference for archaeology and ancient cultures, encouraged by my high school World Cultures class. Although I really got into Roman and Greek studies, my favorite culture of them all was ancient Egypt.
Up until college, the Everhart was my only regular museum. However, once I started college in Philadelphia…well, you can just imagine how ecstatic I was to discover Philly’s museums and their treasures.
Lucky for me, I also met my husband in college—a fortuitous event in itself. He also enjoys museums and science/tech centers and had been spoiling me rotten ever since. Now, we’re the parents of two middle school-aged kids who practically grew up amongst mummies and sarcophagi and the images of gods and pharaohs.
When I wrote Bleeding Hearts, I couldn’t help but put a piece of my love for Egypt into the story. As I wrote it, I began to create a mythology of my own, penning the words that eventually became the origin of my demivampires.
It wasn’t too hard to decide where I was going to meet my hero, Marek. The scene was inspired by a trip my husband and I took to the Penn Museum’s Egyptian exhibit. In a way, the scene is a reminder of one of our dates (few enough since we became parents) so this excerpt is extra-special to me. This except was also a finalist in the “Magic Moments” 2011 contest hosted by the RWA Heart and Scroll Chapter.
First meets are so important. I couldn’t wish anything but the loveliest for my main character, Sophie. I care about her too much! After all, wouldn’t you do the same for somebody you love?

Thanks for having me, Lyndi! I’d like to remind everyone that the Bleeding Hearts Blog Tour will continue until April 14, 2012. I’m being hosted by a wonderful group of bloggers and authors like our lovely Lyndi Alexander here. Be sure to check out the other stops along the tour for other posts about Bleeding Hearts and be sure to enter the huge end-of-tour prize package!
Good luck to everyone who enters and thanks for celebrating my new book with me!

Find out more about Ash and her tour at the links below:
www.facebook.com/AshKraftonAuthor

www.twitter.com/ashkrafton

www.ashkrafton.com

www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com

www.goodreads.com/ash_krafton

BLEEDING HEARTS: Book One of the Demimonde

Saving the world one damned person at a time—shy advice columnist-turned-oracle must find a way to save her dangerous demivampire lover from the fate that threatens each of his race: evolution and the destruction of his soul.

When advice columnist Sophie meets dark and alluring Marek, she learns life-changing secrets about them both—he’s a demivampire struggling to avoid evolution and she’s an empathic oracle destined to save him. Sophie possesses the rare ability to reduce the spiritual damage that causes a demivamp to Fall, making her the only thing that stands between a DV and evolution. However, as Marek’s dangerous past propels him toward his desperate fate, his enemies make darker plans for him: once vampire, powerful Marek would be second only to the Master himself. The vamps want to cause Marek’s Fall and they intend to use Sophie to do it….

Ash’s excerpt!
In the great hall housing the Egyptian exhibitions, I immediately noted the change in the atmosphere. The room was warm and dry, its climate controlled to mimic the conditions in which the relics had existed in their native land.
The entire room had been designed to resemble an Old Kingdom temple. The main lights were dimmed while strategically-placed spotlights emphasized massive columns and magnificent wall carvings, like sunbeams through temple windows.
I scanned the room. No other tourists. Even better. I meandered, enjoying the rare opportunity to linger.
Craning my neck, I ran my gaze up each of the columns, reading the images, admiring the palm leaves carved at the tops like great stone trees. Eyes toward the ceilings, I turned slowly around, admiring the handiwork of the ancient artists.
What was it like to live in those lands and those times? Could an ancient version of my spirit have been there, stepping barefoot and silently through a sandy temple like this one?
Lost in contemplation, I was completely unprepared for the shock of smacking into someone, bumping him hard enough to lose my balance. I’d have fallen had he not caught my arm. Wide-eyed with consternation, I stammered an apology to the handsome but serious-faced gentleman.
“You are not hurt, I hope?” His voice, deep and smooth, sent shivers marching down my neck, between my shoulders, down my spine.
“I’m okay.” I shook my head, too shy to make direct eye contact, wishing I’d checked my hair and lipstick before coming in. “I’m far too adept at being inept.”
He flashed a grin and I caught a glimpse of nice white teeth. “Temples are places for spiritual reflection. It is forgivable if your vision was turned inward, rather than toward where you were walking.”
His expression softened by amusement, he tilted his head toward the pillars. “Majestic, aren’t they?”
I stole another glance at him—black hair smoothed back into a discrete tail, clear light skin framed by long sideburns, strong jaw culminating in a square, cleft chin. Like the other items in the museum, something about him made me want to look closer, inspect each detail.
A subtle flush warmed my cheeks and ears so I quickly turned back to the heights of the exhibition. Murmuring a sound of agreement, I circled the column, stepping a few feet away so I could see both him and the stone. “Do you visit this museum often?”
Furtive glances allowed me to take in more of his appearance a tiny section at a time. Clothing, dark as his hair. Long blazer, something in between a suit coat and an overcoat. In one hand he carried a bound book and fountain pen, as if he’d been making notes.
Unlike my own, his gaze was calm and steady and entirely on me. Taking a deep breath I permitted the contact of the direct look. My boldness was well-rewarded. His Paul Newman lips brought to mind the sculptured busts on display in the Greco-Roman Quarters and he wore a stern expression that cast a veil of hardness upon his features, enhancing the impression he’d been carved from marble.
Except for his eyes. The Roman busts bore eyes that were blank and white but this man’s eyes were alive with bright green color. Like gemstones, they glittered and drew my gaze.
“No, actually,” he said. “My first time here. Although, I admit, I’m drawn to places like this.” His voice made music of the words—deep bass notes and soothing rhythm.
“Ah!” I said. “A man after my own heart.” His left eyebrow arched so sharply I thought it might disappear into his hairline and I hurriedly continued. “Are you a professor?”
“No, nothing like that. I do studying of my own, it’s not a living. It’s more of a hobby. Personal research, of sorts.”
“I like to study past times for past-times. It’s my preferred form of entertainment.”
“Mmm.” Eyebrow cocked again, he cast a disapproving look at me and swept his hand around the contrived temple. “Would the gods be pleased to know they are reduced to the level of entertainment?”
“I hope so.” I kept my tone light. Considering the seriousness of his expression, I didn’t want to accidentally insult him. “Otherwise, they’d have to be content with staying dead, right?”
His gaze swept over me and I shivered again as if the touch had been tangible, a brush of fingertips against my cheek.
“Well, I’ll leave you to your worship. I mean, your wanderings.” He gave me a conspirator’s wink. “Unless…”
He hesitated, a quiet clearing of throat as he tucked his notebook and pen into an inside pocket. “You wouldn’t mind a companion? Sometimes one sees things differently when seeing through another’s eyes. I always appreciative a new perspective.”
I mulled it over, listening to the rain spattering the windows and distant voices echoing faintly from other rooms. Although I’d looked forward to a quiet afternoon, it might be nice to spend it with someone who seemed to share my interests. He certainly was attractive, in a dark and hard way, and his pleasant voice intrigued me.
I realized I’d become used to living inside a shell. This man made me want to step outside for once.
“I’d like that.” I smiled at his pleased expression. “I’m Sophie, by the way.” I stuck out my hand in introduction, offering my firmest professional handshake.
Instead of shaking my hand, he bent his head over it and pressed polite lips to the backs of my fingers. The quaint gesture would have seemed strange and out of place had we been elsewhere. “I am Marek. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Fingers tingling from the unexpected kiss, I fought the urge to curtsy. “Well, Marek. Lead me into the past.”